Growing Up
by HecateA
Summary: Jason over the years in the legion, and the growing up he did there.  From the little boy demanding for Lia, to Little Boots, to the small and furious legionnaire, to the praetor.  Long Oneshot.


**Alright! **

**So I realise that there are a lot of Jason haters out there. I'm not judging! But I'm just saying; a lot of that is because we assume that Jason is just trying to suck Percy out of the picture. I think that if we knew a bit more about him, we'd see that although alike, they are different characters. And so I created this, which is basically just a quick yet long scan through Jason's life; one important event or two per year. I hope you like! **

**I totally love Thalia/Jason sibling relationships, but skip over that for now, okay? I figure Jason had somebody else looking after him in New Rome.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters unless you count Michelle, and I did not create the circumstances of Jason Grace's childhood and life (in the bigger picture). Plus 'Little Boots' was an actual nickname of an actual emperor. Now you know all, so read.**

**Dedicated to: The people who never grow up, and my friends, who fit into that category too and that's why I love you all. **

* * *

><p><span>1 Year Old<span>

Half a second. That's all she looked away for; she swore to Zeus! And what does the kid go and do? He tries to eat _office supplies._ And now he's crying and Thalia can't help but think 'no Styx'.

"Okay, well, you aren't one for brains," she said picking him up in her arms. She tried to bob him up and down. "It's okay, Jason, it's okay. It's not that bad you've just got a staple in your lip but that's your own fault… Sometimes I wonder what's cute about you in the first place…" She kissed the top of his head, but he didn't stop at all. It wasn't like _she _could fix this.

"Mom!" She calls, wandering down the apartment. Her mother walks in from her room with a script in her hand, she must've been practising.

"Oh what's wrong?" She asked dropping it. "Thals- what did he do?"

"He tried to eat a stapler!"

"A stapler? Why were you in my office?" Mom asked, taking Jason in her hands.

"He waddled in because he waddles into random places and I caught him too late because letters were floating and-"

"Complete thoughts," she said. "Sometimes I think they come and go like lightning strikes and you just can't finish it." She looked at Jason's lip, bobbing him up and down as she tilted his head and looked at his lip.

"Oh, I think I can fix this with tweezers." She said. "Thals, come hold his hand."

Following Mom in the bathroom, Thalia realises just how far she goes every day. Sometimes she's Momzilla. Other times she's Super-Mom. It all depends on the drinking of course; but today she's Wonder Mother.

And tomorrow? Well, who knows about tomorrow…?

* * *

><p><span>2 Years Old<span>

Half the romans were trying not to coo because that was a really cute little kid the praetors just brought up. And the effort was amplified because he was on Lupa's back and Lupa was even scarier than the royal looking girl that they'd voted as praetor.

"Romans, this is Jason Grace. He was brought to Camp… Young." The praetor, Hayley, said carefully. "But he is still a part of the fort."

_The fort_? Michelle thought. No way. He should be fostered by someone in New Rome- he was much too young. He must be about two years old!

"Yes, the fort." Hayley said, silencing all doubt in the legionnaires. "So we need one cohort to take such a young child in. Will anybody stand for him?"

The child looked up in confusion, but he kept his tongue like he had without a doubt been told to. He wore running shoes with cars on the sides, a t-shirt for some hockey team Michelle's brother could without a doubt name, and shorts. He was wrapped in a heavy blanket that had probably been white, but looked dragged through the dust now.

The cohorts stayed silent. No legionnaire; no centurion. Michelle's heart swelled up. Poor little boy, he didn't deserve to be cast out. It wasn't his fault he was here so young, it was more of a bane for him than it'd be for anyone. No first day of school, no birthday parties, no Little League baseball- none of the things kids liked and wanted and talked about when they were talking about being little. He deserved a home. Besides, if he trained young it would become a part of him that'd always be there, nearly a breaded legionnaire. Letters or not, age or not…

"I will." Michelle stepped forwards. Her cohort looked at her like she'd finally lost it and the other centurion, Léon, looked at her with wide 'don't do it' eyes.

"Very well, Michelle Adair," Hayley said. "You may stand for the new… recruit. Does your cohort accept him?"

Shields were slammed down on the ground.

"My cohort has spoken." Michelle said with confidence.

"Very well." Hayley said. "Lupa," she bowed, "We have found a home for him."

Lupa made the boy get off her back and she spoke to him in her wolf language. Jason nodded and Lupa nudged him one more time. He hugged her and let go quickly.

"Go see Michelle in the back," Hayley told Jason, her voice softening, and giving him a little push on the back. He walked, a hundred pairs of eyes on his back, and he stopped in front of Michelle, looking at them all like they had extra eyes and teeth. But he held his tongue.

"Hey you," Michelle said. "I'm Michelle. You can come right here." She said stepping a little aside for Jason to stand next to her.

"Okay." He said. He stood next to her and the conch horn blew. He jumped and Michelle took his hand.

"You are dismissed. Good evening. Lights must be out in ten minutes." Hayley said.

The cohorts started moving back to their barracks and people whispered snidely as they passed the fifth cohort. Michelle's cheeks flushed pink, but she held Jason's hands.

"Okay everyone, this is Jason." She told her cohort. "Jason, this is who you're going to stay with for the… next little… while."

"Where's Lupa going?" Jason asked.

"She's going back to her home. This is yours." Michelle said. "So you're going to stay here with us."

"Lupa is Mama wolf." Jason said. The cohort smiled.

"Mmm-hmmm. She was my Mama too." Michelle said.

"Lupa said she was my Mama." Jason said.

"She is. But sometimes… Sometimes Mamas can't stay with you forever." Michelle said. "Come on guys; to the barracks. That's like our big bedroom," she added for Jason's benefit. He nodded and they showed him a free bunk, whose headboard touched Léon's.

"Here you go Jason," Michelle said. He nearly needed help to climb on because he was so damn short, and then Michelle had a sudden thought of 'what if he falls off?'

"I'm going to sit next to you for the night," she said. "Just in case you roll, so you don't fall. I have an aunt in New Rome that I'll go see tomorrow, okay? Maybe she has something for a little boy like you."

"I'm a big boy." Jason said. "Lia said so. Where Lia?"

"I don't know," Michelle said. Who was Lia? His biological mother? Maybe a sister. Oh snap, that would mean another demigod somewhere…

But his age also meant that there would be no clothes Michelle could get for him because they'd all be too big unless she put them in the washing machine and dryer about a million times.

She'd figure it out, she vowed.

"I want Lia." Jason said. "Lia always be there. Lia said."

"I'm sure she did, Jason, but… Lia didn't mean for this to happen. It's an accident, okay?"

"Lia sister." Jason said.

"I get it," Michelle said. "But you know what, Jason? Nearly everybody has a sister here. Maybe you'll find another sister."

"Only Lia." Jason said determined for a two year old. Michelle was going to have to work on him for a while longer; so she decided to get one thing straight before.

"Okay, fifth cohort, get ready for bed," she said turning around to look at them all.

* * *

><p>She was brushing her teeth, her mouth filling with minty foam, when Leon stood next to her wearing sweatpants and an unzipped hoody over his bare chest.<p>

"Really?" He asked. "You had to stand for the most inconvenient kid ever?"

She tried to say something but it came out all baffled because of the minty foam and toothbrush in her mouth. She spit in the sink, and turned to him.

"What do you mean?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow like 'are you kidding me?' "Okay, yes, so maybe he's… Younger than all the others. That doesn't mean a thing!" Michelle said. "He deserves a home since he's missing out on his."

"We don't even know who his immortal parent is," Leon said.

"That's nothing!" Michelle immediately snapped at him. Leon winced.

"Sorry Mich, that was low, I know, not everyone has an immortal," he said. "But… How do you handle a two year old kid? We don't have any stuff for him, it's not like he'll be able to do any of the training, and he'll die of boredom if he has to watch all the time. Or even worst, if he tries to imitate us he'll die literally…"

"I'll figure it out," Michelle told him firmly. "But this kid will stay with us."

* * *

><p><span>3 Year Old<span>

Cheyenne held her arm to her stomach and tried not to make any moan or shout of pain, tears squeezing through her arm. That was one eagle landing that had _not _gone well…

"Mich, do I go get help?" Jason asked her, as she tried to roll the girl onto her back without hurting her.

"Yes," she said, remembering her what-to-do for injuries like this. "Good, Jason. Thomas, take Jason with you to find a healer…"

He was only three, but he took care of people.

* * *

><p>Michelle held him up, holding his arm outstretched.<p>

"Ready?" The augur asked Jason gently. He nodded, although Michelle wasn't quite sure if he knew what he was ready _for. _

"Jason Grace, unclaimed, one year in the fort!" She proclaimed at the sky. And so the burning started in his arm and he screamed a bit, but because he was small and young that was forgiven in the legion.

Michelle just held him tight and tried to soothe him and tell him that it'd be okay and that she'd kiss him all better later.

* * *

><p><span>4 years old<span>

"Hey Jason!" A daughter of Venus in the first cohort called. Her name was Ashes (her real name was something French with accents that Michelle couldn't find on a keyboard), and she was about the nicest person on earth.

Jason looked up at Michelle.

"Can I go see Ashes?" He asked.

"Of course. You can move around the mess hall as much as you want. Bring your plate." She told him. He picked up his plate and walked over to Ashes, holding it carefully. She smiled and turned back to Barbarah, her best friend.

"You know, you're too good to that kid. Who the hell has that kind of freaking patience?" Barbarah asked, pushing cornrow braids out of her face.

"I don't know," Michelle said. "I'm not anything amazing."

"You are to me," Leon said kissing her ear. She smiled.

"Aww, that's sweet, now I'm going to go throw up." Barbarah said.

"You know, you're just amazed she can endure so much little kid because you have _no _patience in you," Leon said.

A guy with a lip gloss stain on his neck was prodding Jason in the bag, and steering him and his plate back to Michelle, Leon and Barbarah.

"He's not allowed to go anywhere he wants." He said. Jason looked at them innocently.

"Why were they sucking faces off?" Jason asked Michelle. She had to bite her lips.

"I actually think we should be madder at you for scarring this kid for life," Leon said, pulling Jason back at their table. "Seriously; why did you have to be making out in the _mess hall, _come on, we eat here!"

Yeah; in a year he'd grown on even Leon, as far as the fifth cohort went.

* * *

><p><span>5 years old<span>

Jason stood at the other end of the row where Michelle stood. He stood up straight and looked up front. His eyes didn't wander; he didn't say a word… _That _was progress.

When they marched he marched at the exact same pace as everyone (only his tiny legs had to scramble because Jason Grace was _one short boy_). He turned sharp 90° angles when he had to, and he knew the paths just as well as any legionnaire.

He did muster with them every day, even if he had no armour because he was so small, and no weapons because nobody wanted him to get killed. Just as he did nearly everything with them. Watched them swordfight, learnt Latin with them, and ate meals in the mess hall, told ghost stories on Halloween night (although a five year old's ghost stories were odd), he even laughed at jokes –although she was pretty sure that he'd laughed just because they did…

He was stealth, this little kid. Michelle was always reminded that he was a little kid by his size. But he didn't cry, Lupa had taught him to bite his lips when he had nightmares, he never did this or that or any of the other accidents of little kids. He was only a little boy when he talked about planes and how he'd fly one, or baseball, or basketball. Then he got excited like little kids got excited and smiled and clapped. He was also in a knock-knock joke phase that made most of the fifth cohort want to knock-knock him out.

But Jason Grace was still a five year old boy, and some things about five year old boys you just have to endure and survive through.

* * *

><p><span>6 years old<span>

Jason was laughing his butt off, as he and Michelle rough played. She tickled him in the ribs and he laughed and tried to kick her away; but Michelle wasn't going anywhere. Young boy vs. Centurion.

"Nice try, kiddo." She said. She gave him a blow kiss on the cheek and he laughed twice as hard. She didn't care that this looked super immature to the other legionnaires; she was smiling, this kid was laughing with the most innocent laugh she'd ever heard (please gods, don't ever let that go away), and she was winning. He was on the verge of begging for mercy.

"Stop it!" He giggled. "Stop it!"

"Not a chance!" Michelle said, her fingers tickling his neck. He laughed and laughed and when he tried to push him away she was shocked, and she saw a blue spark flying.

"Ouch!" She said pulling back.

Static shocks; nothing new, right? But they weren't even on a carpet or anything. Not near anything wool. And this _hurt. _

"Jason… How did you do that?" Michelle asked. Jason looked at her.

"Do what?" He asked.

Something dawned on Michelle.

"Oh." She said. "You know what Jason; go back to the barracks; I have to go talk to Hayley… Fast…"

Jason was claimed later that year.

* * *

><p><span>7 years old<span>

Michelle tapped the helmet on his head.

"That's good?"

"Uh-hun." Jason said. Michelle didn't know where the armour came from, but they'd found it in the barrack early in the morning. It was the smallest set of armour she'd ever seen; smaller than she thought they made them. But it was small enough for the small son of Jupiter to wear.

Michelle had been told never to question the gods, and so she never did. And she had a feeling this was one of those times.

"Now I'll look like you during muster," Jason said. He reminded Michelle of her little sister, Gwen, but she was way more excitable than Jason, and she barely concealed it. Jason had become master at that, since every year got closer to when none of it would be tolerated.

"You sure will." Michelle said. There was a conch horn.

"That's it!" She said. "Come on, Jason!"

They got into line, and people kept turning back to look at Jason. People smiled, some snickered, a few coos in the time beforehand where nobody was serious.

"Little boots, you've got there." A guy from the first cohort called out.

And a nickname was born…

* * *

><p><span>8 years old<span>

An eager girl, Gwen was. She was happy and bubbling with life all the time. Michelle wondered for now long she'd be that way until the legion tamed that energy.

She wouldn't be around to find out. She was officially taking retirement tomorrow, after eleven years of service in the Roman legion. Twenty three seemed like a good, solid age to go to college. Get a degree in something, work at one of New Rome's coffee shops, whatever. But she regretted that it was just as Gwen came in.

At thirteen years old, she was average age for a recruit. She'd lived in New Rome her whole life with her parents- legacies of Cupid and Bellona, so her reality hadn't changed; just her lifestyle.

A small boy wearing tiny boots was walking around the fort on his own. Nobody else was his age.

"Who's that? He's so cute. He's super small too, how old is he, six?"

"No, eight, he's just on the small side." Michelle said. "And that, Gwen Holly, is Little Boots. Or that's what we call him because of the XS armour; his real name is Jason Grace. He was brought here by Lupa when he was two. Nobody is quite sure why."

He was alone a lot. Because who was there to keep him company? The children in New Rome thought he was weird; and granted being a son of Jupiter did make him an outcast. A little scary, perhaps… But he wasn't a bad kid.

"You're going to have to take good care of him for me, Gwen." Michelle said.

"Which, Mich?"

"Because he's special."

* * *

><p><span>9 Years Old<span>

There was a knock on her door.

"Is that pizza?" Her roommate, Barbara, asked.

"I don't know," Michelle said. "Aurelia! Please open it! We'll love you forever!"

Aurelia stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in towels, pushed down on the handle and pulled it back before disappearing back in the bathroom.

Gwen stood at the opening door, smiling as usual, and she had Jason with her.

"You're not pizza," Barbara groaned. But Michelle smiled and jumped to her feet and went to go hug Gwen, who wrapped her arms around her too.

"Hey!" She said, squeezing her sister tight. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"Well, you know, we had free time and Jason wanted to see you so…"

"I did not." Jason said. Gwen winked at her sister like 'yes he did'.

"And you, why aren't you hugging me?" She asked.

"I don't hug." He said.

"You don't?" Michelle asked. "You know you want to."

"Nuh-uh."

"You know you do-o…" She sing-sung. She grabbed him in a hug.

"Mich, Mich!" He protested.

"I don't care how macho you think you are, you're still Little Boots to me," she told him. He gave her a static chock.

"I'm not Little boots, that's not my name." He protested. Well; _someone_ thought he was strong and mighty… One faze of a small boy. Well, they'd skipped armpit noises and poo and pee jokes. Guess they couldn't escape from all of them.

* * *

><p><span>10 Years Old<span>

He was _finally _admittance age for the legion, and you could see it in his eyes how much he was ready for it. He could already march better than some of the twelve year olds, he knew the trails by heart, and he even whispered corrections and advice and reassurance to the legionnaires in front or behind him in line that tripped around. He knew routine; he cleaned up fast, he was efficient… He wasn't a burden even if ten year old legionnaires weren't a common sight.

He was also indisputably helpful in the War Games. He wasn't afraid of climbing the fort at crazy angles and heights, he had that kid flexibility which meant climbing was as inborn as it was for a baboon, he could give electric shocks, he'd watched these games a million times, and he was a small fighter (even for his age).

From New Rome, she heard gossip about the son of Jupiter. She knew who and what Jason was, even when he was young, so she could usually tell what was true or not; but supposedly he was nicknamed 'Little Fulminata' now too. It was more flattering than his last nickname, at least. But Michelle didn't know what to believe. She knew Jason was special, but was he really such a natural warrior?

Michelle was ref once, during the war games because one praetor had been let on leave as her mother in Florida was dying, and the other was speaking with Lupa. She watched him go head first, deep into the action for the fifth cohort…

_Wow. They should have let him fight before,_ she thought. He was already amazing; watching must have done it in. Maybe he'd practised with sticks like she knew Gwen and gladiators had, before they were allowed real weapons (both Gwen and gladiators).

Suddenly she heard a fuss in the fort. Jason and another named Stan were covering an older kid (was that…? Henry?), and they were in the corner of the fort's top level. From her position in the air, on a Pegasus' back, she saw that Henry was holding the banners in one hand. Her heart froze and started beating.

Suddenly there was yelling and the banners were stuffed in Jason's hands. He pushed a legionnaire back with a hand, jumped over another (way too high for anyone who wasn't a child of the sky god), and climbed onto the top of the fort's wall. He looked down, and didn't hesitate for a second before jumping off.

Michelle, filled with flashbacks of a five year old kid, immediately froze. She expected him to tuck it into a roll like you were meant to… But Jason landed on both feet, like a cat.

And that was the first time she'd seen a legionnaire the fifth cohort win the war games for anyone.

* * *

><p><span>11 Years Old<span>

She also saw him in New Rome every now and then. Legionnaires loved going to New Rome. Sometimes they got discounts at certain stores for being in the legion. Jason had been around for so long, Gaius' Gelato would give him a free cup every time he came around. People looked at them smiling, either remembering their time in the legion, or the legacies anxious to see if _they'd _be good enough to be in the legion. Small children would point at a passing legionnaire and whisper loudly about how they wanted to be _just like him._ It was a good ego boost for anyone.

She worked at a frozen yogurt store by the name of Flavia's Fro Yog to pull her weight as far as apartment rental and groceries coasts. It was a good deal; she'd sprint there from the university, she could spread her books over the counter when there wasn't anybody in the store, and if the containers only had a little bit of yogurt left in them at the end of the day, Flavia let her bring them home- so she got brownie points with Barbara and Aurelia.

She was rereading a paragraph from her textbook for the fifth time (at least) when the door opened. She looked up at the two legionnaires walking in and recognised one ASAP; Jason.

"Hey Little Boots," she said.

"Don't call me that, _Michou_." He said using Leon's pet name for her. She made a face (and possibly blushed).

"Who's your friend?" She asked.

"This is Bobby Powell." Jason said. "He got to Camp a few days ago, he's a new recruit for the fifth."

"Salve," Michelle smiled (you said it like _suhl-way_, "be well" in Latin. It was a greeting.)

"Hey," the Bobby kid said. He kept looking at the striped walls and the circular tables with fancy backed chairs that always made people think of Willy Wonka.

"So what can I get you?" Michelle asked, leaning on the counter.

"Frozen Yogurt," Bobby said looking confused.

"We have over thirty types of Frozen Yogurt." Michelle said. His face fell.

"Umm…"

"Want to taste a bunch?" Michelle asked, handing out a cup with tiny spoons.

"Yes please," Bobby said taking one. Jason took one too.

"Jason, you're around since you're two, and I've been watching you since then;" Michelle said. "You've already tasted every flavour in here!"

He smiled cheekily at her, and she rolled her eyes. If it wasn't her in the shop and if he didn't know that Michelle was a sucker and wouldn't get him in trouble…

Bobby tasted every single flavour, which was the usual reaction for new recruits, and Jason kept to his all-time top three.

"You are so boring, Little Boots. Why do you stick to the fruit?" She asked, shaking her head in disappointment.

"New York Cheesecake is the best," Bobby decided.

"Thank you!" Michelle said. "You're right. So… I'll make that one New York Cheesecake and one Mango for Mr Fruit over here."

"Kay," they both said. Michelle slid their cups over the counter and they both picked them up.

"Total comes to 3 denarii." She said. Between both of them they managed to scrape up two, and Michelle left it at that. Partially because she was feeling generous and she'd known this kid forever, partially because she had a feeling that Bobby was Jason's first friend his own age in years.

The number of years he had tattooed on his arm that was.

* * *

><p><span>12 Years Old<span>

Michelle hadn't seen any legionnaire in a while. Even Gwen didn't come home to their parents for Thanksgiving; they didn't wander to New Rome after their duties were completed… She asked various people, but other than the explosions and noises and fires coming from the Fields of Mars every now and then, there was no signal that the legionnaires were even _there._

Then one day, they all came flowing back. People were relieved, but nobody asked; because the legion's duty was the legion's duty alone. Even retired officers like Michelle weren't in the in anymore. She wondered if they were all itching to know.

Gwen came to find Michelle.

"I have something to say…" Gwen said. She was seventeen and a beautiful girl now.

"What is it, Gwen?" She asked smoothing down her scrubs, and passing the pass that marked her as infirmary employee around her neck.

"It's about Jason."

* * *

><p>She walked into the barrack and saw Jason, Bobby and Dakota huddled up on a top bunk that must be Bobby's.<p>

"Hey guys," she said. They looked up at Michelle. Jason's blue eyes read right through her.

He jumped off and walked towards her.

"What is it?" He asked. "How did you know?"

"Gwen told me." Michelle said, crossing her arms.

"I… I was going to tell you tonight…" Jason said. "Since I already know where Camp is, and I can't make the usual journey from the Wolf House, they want me to lead this quest instead, the auguries said so... We're just supposed to check on Mount Othrys."

"It doesn't matter," she said hugging him. "Are you alright? All set? Okay? Any questions? Because that's what your Centurions are for…"

"I'm fine, Mich. I just… I just don't want to lead my friends into a death trap." He said, lowering his voice so they wouldn't hear.

That's why he was afraid. Not because of the huge task handed to him, not because of this, not because of that; because of his friends.

Because he didn't want to do something wrong.

"You won't," Michelle reassured him. "Okay? And I know that because I know you since you're two. You were three years old, someone got hurt in the eagle drops, and you were the one who wanted to go get help. You were three. And so now… I can't imagine it… You always do the best for people, and you're like a compass; you always know where to go." She hugged him.

She was so very afraid for him. She knew him; she'd watched him. But she was still Styx scared for him. Call it a sister's pet peeves; it was like when Gwen had been in her first gladiator tournament. Just afraid that _something_ would happen and that she wouldn't be there to smooth it out like she'd kissed a finger jammed in a door all better, or made him laugh in the middle of the night when there were nightmares. And he was so shy about leadership…

* * *

><p>The party came back victorious with all three of them still in one piece, and new intellect about Mount Othrys' situation. Scariest; there was already a titan waiting for them.<p>

"It was Phoebe," Jason said. "A titanness named Phoebe. She screwed up the augurs so that Octavian would send us. She… She wanted my blood. As a sacrifice. I don't know what it was she wanted to do with it, we sort-of started trying to kill her before the explanation part…" He looked unsettled, like he'd wanted those answers bad.

"You're the son of Jupiter, Jason. You've always been special." Michelle told him.

"I guess." He said. "But if all the titans are after me…"

"They're not going to get anywhere close," Michelle said, messing up his hair. He did the same back at her.

* * *

><p><span>13 Years Old<span>

Michelle was not a night person. But she heard the knocking loud and clear, and she got up before Barbara or Aurelia were woken up. She opened the door to Jason and a girl with dark hair and darker eyes, hard and fierce. Jason had pulled on some armour and she was still fully dressed in clothes that had most definitely seen better days.

"Jason? Gods, what are you doing here? Do you know in how much trouble-?"

"She's the new recruit," Jason said, probably to avoid hearing in how much trouble he'd be. "Her name's Reyna."

"You don't need to tell her everything about me," Reyna snapped.

"Fine, let your arm get infected." Jason snapped back. He turned towards Michelle. "She's hurt, but she doesn't want to go to the clinic or the healers."

"I don't trust facilities." Reyna said. Michelle was sympathetic- sometimes you run into horrible things before coming to Camp and paranoia got settled in nice and cozy for a while.

"But you're _hurt._" Jason said. "Can you please help her, Mich?"

"Alright, alright." Michelle said. "Come into the bathroom, just don't make any noise."

* * *

><p><span>14 Years Old<span>

She hadn't seen him in a while. The Titans were giving the legionnaires a job bigger than they'd had in a while and that meant that they were all busy, busy, bees.

But when she did see him, she only thought one thing; _growth spurt. _

It was true. He'd always been short for his age, but now growing had come back with a vengeance and he looked down on any kid who'd ever called him short and laughed. Broad shoulders had popped up from gods knew where as well, and the muscle from all his training was showing now too.

He was respected now. No more 'Little Boots', or shorty jokes or any of that. He was Jason Grace. You were to _respect _Jason Grace.

And it joined the whispers of an upcoming Titan war, the whispers that one day, he was to be praetor.

He and his friends were visiting Bobby who was in the infirmary with a broken leg. She swore Bobby hadn't been more encouraged or happy or hopeful of recovery since Jason had talked to him.

She smiled as she put his food right above him.

"Here you go, Bob." She said.

"Mmm, oatmeal." Bobby said.

"I know, I know, it's not what you guys get in the mess hall, but hey. You end up so badly hurt you're in New Rome, you eat what the others eat."

"And people think Rome was about luxury." Bobby joked, rolling his eyes.

"Luxuries like bandages, and health care, and healers, and potions, balms, nectar, powdered unicorn horn…"

"Okay, he gets it Mich." Jason said. "Don't scold the dying one."

"That's right, I'm dying." Bobby said.

"Call me when he's dead then," Michelle said. She walked to the other end of the infirmary and saw Reyna at the door, standing still in the frame like a praying mantis.

"Hey, Reyna." Michelle said. "I know he's already got three visitors, but for you guys, I think I could let one more could slip inside. Come in," she told her.

"That's not why." Reyna said.

Michelle looked back and sighed.

"Have you and Jason been fighting again?" She asked.

"We don't fight," Reyna insisted. "We're just… Opposed on many levels."

"You're not good with words, Reyna; you still make it sound like you two just keep going at each other like snapping turtles." Michelle said.

"Well we don't," Reyna snapped. "I'll come back later. Thank you Michelle."

And the legionnaire turned around.

Jason stayed with Bobby throughout the afternoon, and even at supper when his friend was asleep.

The infirmary was empty and her afternoon shift was nearly over.

"You know," she said sitting down on the bed, "You wouldn't still be here if there was nothing bothering you."

"My best friend nearly just died. _That _bothers me."

Michelle looked at him some more. Jason didn't tell people about his problems. It was like he didn't think he was allowed to 'burden' others with something. Like he tried to take the world on his shoulders since it'd been shown to him with all of its problems in his various outings and expeditions.

If Michelle was going to ever find out, it was because she was going to tell her.

"Okay, I'll be over there." She said simply. She got up to go check on the other patient in the infirmary. She was alone that night; so little people were hurt or sick. Since the legionnaires had repaired the aqueduct, more of that enchanted nymph water was coming in, and colds and aches were fixed even for the non-demigod population. It made her job easier.

She was washing out some bandages when Jason got up and stood next to her.

"It's Reyna." He finally admitted. Michelle raised an eyebrow, and turned towards him, peeling off latex gloves.

"Alright, what's happening between you two now? Did she beat you up again?"

"No," Jason scoffed, insulted. "It's that… She hates my guts."

"Okay," Michelle's said. "That's not new either, Little Boots, you two have never seen eye to eye."

"Well maybe I _don't _hate her guts," Jason said. "Maybe I _like _her eyes."

Michelle understood. She tried really hard not to smile.

"You're laughing at me," Jason said, looking down at his feet.

"No, I'm not." Michelle said. "I was just waiting for you to say it out loud."

* * *

><p><span>15 Years Old<span>

The _triumph _passed through New Rome after going across the forth and down the mile long trail that led to New Rome. Children pointed in wow. Veterans cheered with a particular proud, and Michelle and Leon were no two exceptions. And she smiled when the fifth cohort came into view. And this once- this very once- they were first in line since Jason had been the one to lead the quest.

And he'd done it. Nobody was quite sure how he and 5 legionnaires had gone to the palace of Aeolus, how Jason had gotten the blessing of Aeolus, and how they'd killed the horrible Ketos Troias that Michelle had only read about, and how he and Reyna had gone through it without seriously injuring each other. All in 10 days' time! It even blew Michelle's _mind _away that he'd done any of those things at all, much less all at once (plus Reyna actually considered him a 'friend' now). And she'd seen Jason do some pretty incredible things as his power grew up.

He was limping, as he and Gwen marched the fifth cohort after the elephant and praetors, but he still kept up with the pace, and didn't flinch, as if nothing was wrong. _Good,_ Michelle thought.

It made him deserve this victory even more.

* * *

><p><span>16 Years Old<span>

"They plan on attacking on the day of the summer solstice, early in the morning at sunrise before we're even awake and training." Reyna said. There was a cut on her cheek, she was missing a few armour pieces and her braid was mostly destroyed; but she'd done her job. She'd brought her team to and from Mount Othrys with zero casualties.

Sometimes Michelle wondered what the miracle was: Reyna, or the fact she and Jason hadn't killed each other yet, even if they did see eye to ear (eye to eye was taking it too far) since their last quest.

But right now she thought of what the news brought by her team of spies meant. She looked at Leon, sitting next to her in the back of the senate, where the veterans could sit it on meetings. If things were as serious as Reyna was making them sound –and Reyna was known for telling things like they were, good or bad- they'd need all the help they could get. That'd mean call backs into the legion.

"Praetor McRyan, Praetor Johnson; I have a suggestion." Jason said, standing up.

People glanced at each other. Jason at senate meetings usually rallied people up for a plan of some kind. He was good at rallying people, of having them listen to him. He had since he'd grown and gotten more confidence in himself.

"What is it, Centurion Grace?" Bridget Johnson asked, studying Jason with a hawk's watchful eye, wondering when the small rodent would slow down so she could snatch it up.

"The threat on this camp –the threat on Rome and its legacy- is great," he said. "Maybe it's time to do great things."

"Go on," Justin McRyan said, interested. _That _was something.

"Why should we let the battle wait until our troops are mentally strained from the wait, and why should we let 5 Titans and Titannesses come to us? It would be stupid to let them come here; where there are families and innocent citizens and children in New Rome for them to reach and destroy. Why should we let them get to us? Can't we play their game?"

"Ja- Centurion Grace, what are you suggesting?" Bridget Johnson asked, although Michelle had a feeling she knew what picture Jason was painting.

"We should attack before they do," Jason said. "Surprise them like they would've done to us if it weren't for Reyna."

Michelle's mouth formed an 'o' and she nearly whistled. It was bold. It was risky. It was oh so completely _Roman. _

"I can say by experience that surprise is a good advantage to have by your side." Reyna piped up.

The senate started whispering.

Octavian stood up.

"I will be the first to say; I myself am a legacy, and I have a family in New Rome. I know how defenceless some people in the city are, but to charge directly into the Titan home territory where their entire armies will meet ours at once?" He said. "It is incredibly risky. One simple miscalculation of their numbers or skill could be disastrous."

"Better a miscalculation there than in New Rome," Jason said. "If it's there, they won't plough through us and attack New Rome. And we _can't _miscalculate their numbers. One of our greatest warrior minds has seen it for herself-"he motioned towards Reyna "-and so have a handful of elite and handpicked legionnaires. We know what they hold for us. We just have to seize it before they know we're coming."

Whispering rippled through the senate like the tide came in.

"Let's vote," McRyan said. "Raise your hand if you think that Centurion Jason Grace's plan is worth a shot."

Hands rose tentatively. Michelle did a quick hand count of her own.

"Who votes against the action of Jason Grace's plan?" McRyan asked again. Octavian's hand was raised higher than anybody else, but that didn't matter; the one person less had voted for this did.

"Alright," Johnson said. "Tomorrow at dawn all war weapons and tools will be released to the hands of Jason Grace and the troops will march to Mount Othrys, and take siege of the mountain under his orders. Centurion Grace, is that fine with you?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said. Michelle remembered the 12 year old boy who'd been terrified of being called the quest leader. She looked at the 16 year old boy who was taking a momentary control of the legion calmly and with confidence.

"The operations and shoulders are under your control, and under your responsibility, furthermore if any of these sink rather than swim…"

Oh, _that_ was sneaky of them… If this failed; it would be Jason's fault, and Jason's responsibility. And if Jason came back from it, if he lived through a disaster siege; _he'd_ be the one stripped of his honours.

"Yes ma'am." Jason said. "I accept these conditions. I will bring the legion honour and victory."

And Jason Grace was never one for empty promises you could burst like bubbles…

* * *

><p>She stepped away from the veggie market with a paper bag. She could already <em>smell <em>Barbara's stir-fry; the kind of thing she only bothered making when someone (Aurelia this time) brought a boy home. She saw a new legionnaire getting shown around, but the Centurion in charge of her wasn't being too nice about it. Michelle felt it coming, and followed them with her eyes.

Soon enough the new recruit had been ditched. She stood in the frenzy of Rome frozen stiff and scared looking. Michelle was about to step up when she saw Jason walk down the street in shining armour, his cape billowing. He spotted the girl and frowned.

"Hazel?" He asked. She looked at him and a weight seemed to lift off her shoulders.

"I- I'm sorry- I know I'm not supposed to be alone- but please, it's just a-"

"What happened? I thought Vivian was supposed to keep you close." He said.

"She was walking too fast and there were too many people I-"

"No, don't worry about it, it's cool." Jason said. "We shouldn't trust her with new recruits anyways. Come on, _I'll_ show you around, and hopefully not lose you." Jason said.

They stopped at Bombilo, the two headed coffee merchant. Hazel looked at Bombilo like… Well, like he had two heads. And as if it were the first time she saw something with two heads.

"Coffee or hot chocolate?" He asked her.

"Hot chocolate, please," Hazel replied. He dropped a few coins in Bombilo's hand, and handed her a cup and a muffin. She thanked him and he smiled.

"No problem, you look like you've had a tough time."

Her eyes widened and she said; "You have no idea."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Odds are, you have a huge scent like mine and the monsters find you no matter what."

"Yeah I- I don't understand that. They keep saying it but…"

"It's a long story. Demigods are all born with scents…"

Michelle didn't even pop out and say hello, she let them carry on. He'd never helped a recruit out like that before, he rarely had _time _to- which was the only reason he hadn't, yet. But he seemed to have taken her under his wing.

_Good on him, _she thought with a smile, remembering doing that 14 years ago with a much smaller recruit.

* * *

><p>Michelle locked the door of her apartment behind her, and was walking out of the complex when she was halted by chariot traffic.<p>

Rome had never allowed chariots in its walls during the day, back in ancient times, and Michelle understood perfectly why not. It was nearly impossible to get anywhere on time, nowadays.

Then she realised it was a legion chariot that had whizzed by her.

Uh oh. What was it doing in Rome?

The praetors came by, yes, legionnaires inspected public safety and this and that, road quality, fixed things that were on the very verge of breaking down, and of course came for their own gain after their duties or on their free days. But official businesses like this? With the chariot?

Legionnaires jumped out and froze the traffic. They threw back the covers on chariots, checking cargo, and ran into buildings and then back out, each spreading out further and further down the street in duos. Michelle froze in shock looking at what was going on.

"Come on, come on, and make it fast!" The centurion for the fifth cohort, Dakota, said as his men expanded faster. He took a drink out of a traveling flask as Michelle saw other chariots coming through various openings.

"Dakota- what's wrong?"

"I don't have time," he growled anxiously before rushing forwards where a legionnaire had blown through a whistle.

She saw Gwen. Her sister wouldn't ignore her and Michelle had the gods-given order of birth advantage and power if she even tried

"Gwen, what's wrong?" Michelle asked. Gwen looked up at her sister, her face masked in worry and not in stone ruthlessness like usual Romans.

"The first cohort is in Berkeley, the fourth and fifth are searching New Rome, and the second was sent back to Othrys…" she said.

"Gwen, that doesn't answer my question that was telling me what you're doing." Michelle said. "Where are the praetors? What's wrong?"

Gwen looked at her, and the worry made sense when she opened her mouth. "Nobody can find Jason Grace." She said.

Michelle's heart dropped more stories than any building had.

"_What?" _She asked.

"You heard me, he's missing. He wasn't at breakfast, Reyna thought he might be sick or something and went to check on him then. She fished Kota, Bobby, Hazel and I out of the mess hall to help look and by the time we couldn't find him, the fifth searched instead of activities. And now it's a full-blown legion operation." She said. Michelle's head spun around.

She'd looked after Jason Grace for seven years before retiring from the legion. She'd been keeping tabs on him for the seven years after. And now he was just… _Not there? _Someone had just… What? Kidnapped him? How in the name of Mars did you kidnap Jason Grace? Was he even still alive? She didn't dare ask Gwen if they were looking for a boy or a body.

Gwen put a hand on Michelle's forearm.

"I know." She said. Gwen had been a second pair of eyes on Jason, after all. "Look, I have to go. I'll talk to you as soon as I can."

And she ran into a building after Hazel Levesque to look for someone who wasn't in there.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

* * *

><p><span>17 Years Old<span>

She had a cough and it was _completely _irresponsible of her to show up at work because of that. Honestly: some legionnaires were still recovering from the battle, and fending off venom induced infections, and she was just going to cough on open injuries? Gross _and _irresponsible.

She was leaving the infirmary, pulling her bag over her shoulder when she recognised a group of people in the crowd. Orange t-shirts first, then she saw Jason and…

She couldn't stop herself then. She snaked between a couple, dashed across the street, and rounded the street corner after him.

"Jason!" She yelled after him. He spun around and she tackled him with a hug that made him stumble backwards.

"Mich!" He said when he recognised her. She squeezed her arms around him tighter.

"Gods of Olympus- you scared us all to heck!" She said. "I was terrified! Don't get me started on how bad your friends were freaking! I think you permanently scarred Hazel! Don't get me started on what I had to deal with around Gwen! And_ especially _not on Reyna!"

"I'm sorry Mich," he said. It sounded scripted; like he'd already told a lot of people that he was sorry.

"You should be! I've watched you grow up and do lots of stupid things in the process Little Boots, but don't you _ever _scare me like that again!"

"I didn't mean to," Jason said. "I wouldn't do that to you; you adopted me like a sister would."

She froze when she realised that all that she'd just said- all that he'd just said- was true. She was like his sister, a sister who'd decided to do what his mysterious 'Lia' had.

Who else watched you grow up?


End file.
